The Calm | YouTube Rabbithole | The Scout That Never Was (Every Team Round 1 & 2) + Fan Insiders’ Teams Round (3-6)
Alright @YouTheReader, after a weekend where one does an NBA Playoff Preview Friday, followed by a Stanley Cup Playoff Preview Saturday, and a Titanic piece on Sunday, I don’t know about yours, but my playbook says it’s time to do a Mock Draft Monday listening to…
This is the 15th track on Drake’s So Far Gone. It is essentially the final song on his commercial mixtape debut (pretty much an album). This is the 51st week of Week to Week Notes. Luckily there still is a Bonus Track on So Far Gone that can be used for next week’s final Mock of the ‘23 NFL Draft. This track is about…
In ‘11, Drake said his favorite verse he’d written at the time was his first one on The Calm (See YouTube Rabbithole right before the Mock Draft). Here is a piece from it…
At this point, Drake had been 3 years removed from his first Mixtape called “Room For Improvement.” Now that I’ve basically completed annotating the first project that @Zuck allows to be the music on in the background, here is what I got from it…
Drake basically spoke his career into existence on this album. I wouldn’t say it was his best work but you could tell he had a ton of potential and confidence mixed in with his own self-doubts.
@YouTheReader Mock Draft Mondays with Drake on in the background may not be for everybody. The content this time of year will always be football prospect-heavy and lengthy because NFL football fans love the NFL Draft, myself included. For years this time of year before I was posting these links publicly, I always used to be all over what other mock draft experts had to say about players. This draft season for me feels much different than even last year’s. Since January, I’ve been using FanSpeak.com simulators and picking the Jets guys so that I could get to know players’ names and then do a bit of research on them. For years, I always would do Mock Drafts for the Jets and sometimes I’d send them to a friend or two. It’s been fun to share them with anybody who is interested in learning about the NFL stars of tomorrow.
YouTube Rabbithole
The Scout That Never Was
Full 1st Round and 2nd Round Mock Draft of ‘23. Fan Insiders’ Teams (below) 3-6 Rounds.
Round 1
Pick 1 (Panthers): Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
Commentary: Haven’t had an identity since Cam Newton fell off the map. A franchise QB would be a good start.
Bryce Young is the only quarterback in Alabama history to throw for 3,000-plus yards in two seasons. Young finished 2nd in program history for career passing yards (8,356) and passing touchdowns (80). In ‘21, he set the Alabama single-season marks for passing yards (4,872) and touchdowns (47) while winning the Heisman Trophy. Bryce Young had elite escapability in college that he likely may not be able to pull off as much against grown men. His size will also be a cause for concern for some NFL teams. That said, if you are taking a QB with the #1 Overall Pick in today’s NFL, you almost have to expect that the QB can both throw and run. Bryce Young was entered into Saban’s starting QB1 role right after Mac Jones and it was as if the Alabama offense didn’t skip a beat, if anything Young’s legs made them that much more lethal.
Pick 2 (Texans): Will Anderson Jr, Edge, Alabama
Commentary: It is never an ideal situation when the first players you think about with a team (Deshaun Watson and JJ Watt) haven’t played a down for your franchise for 2 years. Texans need a facelift.
Will Anderson Jr. may be the best player in the ‘23 NFL Draft. An executive for an NFC team told NFL.com, which told me when I read it that, “Power Five players with traits who get sacks in college are going to get sacks in the pros. Anderson is way more likely to succeed than any of these quarterbacks (in the draft). It’s not even close.” Anderson Jr finished his three years at ‘Bama ranked 2nd on Alabama's career sacks list with 34.5 (-201 yards), trailing only Derrick Thomas. He is a two-time Nagurski Trophy winner (Nation’s best defender), which makes him only the 2nd player in the award's history to take home the honors twice. He was the recipient of the Bednarik Award, which is another award presented to the nation's top defender. He was named the Rotary Lombardi winner, which goes to the player that “best embodies the values and spirit of NFL's legendary coach Vince Lombardi.” Not only that but Anderson Jr was also honored with the Lott IMPACT Trophy which recognizes a player for their performance on the field and character off the field. Only Manti Te'o can say he too swept all four awards. Anderson Jr. in 3 seasons at ‘Bama racked up 62 tackles for loss and a Pick 6 as well. (Source: Bama)
Pick 3 (Cardinals): Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
Commentary: The Cardinals are being sued by a former team executive who says owner Michael Bidwill was abrasive toward pregnant employees, “created an environment of fear for minority employees” and directed a cheating scandal in which everyone was supplied with burner phones to communicate with suspended general manager Steve Keim - Keim missed a little more than a month for an extreme DUI. (Source: Sports Illustrated) The Cardinals’ response to these claims was to deny, deny, deny, and then announce they were dropping new shiny uniforms sometime this spring.
Jalen Carter was sentenced to probation in a crash that killed a teammate and a team staffer. The crash happened hours after the Bulldogs’ national championship victory parade. Carter has pleaded no contest this past week to the charges he is facing of racing and reckless driving, according to his attorney, Kim Stephens. @YouTheReader the Computer Simulated Carter to be taken here. It remains to be seen how the NFL will handle this whole situation moving forward.
Pick 4 (Colts): Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Commentary: The Colts should start to think about what they should do with Jonathan Taylor. While Taylor is still only 24 years old, his value may be peaking. The Wisconsin alum saw a league-high 332 carries in ‘21 and dealt with injuries that made him miss multiple games in a season for the first time in his career. Indianapolis, entering what is likely a rebuilding season, would likely never get more value for Jonathan Taylor than this upcoming draft because his rookie contract will begin coming to a close after ‘23. While 17.5 carries per game in NFL may not sound like much, Taylor carried the rock 926 times in his 3 years at Wisconsin so sadly his body as a star RB may start to break down before you know it (think Ezekiel Elliot).
Anthony Richardson may be the ultimate boom-or-bust prospect of the NFL Draft. He may be one of the most talented QBs to ever enter the Draft, but that said his college production was a bit inconsistent. Richardson closing out his pro day with a cartwheel flip was bold. It’ll either be the stuff of legends or mocked throughout his career if things go sideways. He finished with 2,549 passing yards and 17 touchdowns for an average of 212.42 yards per game, not otherworldly stats by any stretch. He came in 2nd on the team in rushing touchdowns (9) and 3rd in rushing yards (654). He’s drawn comparisons to Cam Newton & Josh Allen and after an expectedly good NFL Combine showing where he ran a 4.44 40-time, comparing him to the former MVP may not be too crazy. (Source: Florida)
Pick 5 (Seahawks): Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
Commentary: Geno “They Wrote Me Off But I Ain’t Write Back Though” Smith finally wrote back on the Players Tribune.
Devon Witherspoon became the first Illinois football player in school history to be named a Jim Thorpe finalist. He also became the first football player in school history to be named a consensus first-team All-American. Both of these accomplishments occurred during the ‘22 season when the Dick Butkus Defensive MVP had 17 pass breakups (good for top 6 in all of the NCAA) and 3 INTs. Witherspoon is a very physical and willing tackler who was more importantly graded the #1 in coverage in the nation (92.5), according to PFF.
Pick 6 (Lions): Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech
Commentary: Dan Campbell’s Lions have 2 picks inside the Top 18 of the Draft. If they can hit on those 2 picks, look for Week to Week Notes to project them in 1st Place Week to Week Notes’ NFL Preview in August.
Tyree Wilson was regarded as one of the nation’s top most-impactful players during his final year as a Red Raider. Wilson turned in an All-American type year to place himself among the top prospects for the NFL Draft. In ‘22, Wilson had totaled 61 tackles (36 solo), including 14.0 for a loss and 7.0 sacks, up to the point where a season-ending injury cut his senior year short to just 10 games. In ‘21, Wilson also had 13.5 tackles for a loss and 7 sacks, so his college production doesn’t make him that much of a projection. At 6’6” & 275 lbs., Wilson has all the look of a physically imposing NFL pass rusher and he should be versatile enough to play both defensive end in a 4-3 front or outside linebacker in a 3-4 front.
Pick 7 (Raiders): Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
Commentary: Going from Derek Carr to Jimmy Garoppolo at QB is like an action movie series jumping from Vin Diesel to John Cena, they both will play the same role the same way. Are you really going to notice much of a difference, the movie is going to be a 37% Rotten Tomato Review and just like watching the Raiders, is it really worth your time watching?
Christian Gonzalez is a 6’2” corner. Gonzalez led the Ducks with 4 interceptions, 3rd-most in the Pac-12, and finished with 50 total tackles (35 solo) and one tackle for loss. Totaled 118 return yards on four interceptions, the most by a Duck in a season since ‘01. He tied for 6th in the Pac-12 with 11 passes defended and tied for 9th with 7 passes broken up. Gonzalez earned an 81.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, the best among all Duck defenders and No. 4 among Pac-12 cornerbacks. (Source: Oregon)
Pick 8 (Falcons): Nolan Smith, Edge, Georgia
Commentary: How about the Falcons try to get the ball to Kyle Pitts? Holy shrimp, you draft a stud Calvin Johnson-type freak TE with the 4th Pick in ‘21 and then decide in Year 2 that it’s best to throw to him even less in his 2nd Year? @YouTheReader my bad I’m just still salty about how Pitts was a bust in fantasy in ‘22.
Nolan Smith’s ‘22 season was cut short due to a torn pec. Still, entering the season he was named to preseason watch lists for the Outland Trophy (nation's top interior lineman) and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defender). (Source: Georgia) While his career stat line may look a bit underwhelming, 11.5 sacks in 46 games in Athens, NFL scouts may point to Travon Walker from last year as a reason to take Smith in the first two days of the NFL Draft. Like Walker, Smith has some rare athletic traits that could be further developed as he matures as a pass rusher in the pros. Expect scouts to drool over his 4.44 40-time speed, but he’ll need to be coached up some to fine-tune his pass rush moves.
Pick 9 (Bears): Paris Johnson Jr, OT, Ohio State
Commentary: The Bears should not be allowed to take an offensive player within the first 3 rounds of drafts…. Unless it’s a mauler upfront.
Paris Johnson Jr is a two-time OSU Scholar-Athlete who is majoring in journalism and has written numerous articles that have been published in the school newspaper, The Lantern. (Source: The Ohio State University) Here hyperlinked is something he wrote on the Ohio State baseball team. The 6’6” and 310 lbs. left tackle played mostly guard before moving outside to tackle in ‘22. He anchored the blindside OL line that is sixth nationally in fewest TFLs allowed (37; only 7 sacks allowed). In 757 snaps at the new position, he gave up only 9 QB hurries, no QB hits, and two sacks. Johnson has the prototypical size and athleticism to play tackle in the NFL and also has a bit of a mean street on the field, which is never a bad thing on the gridiron.
Pick 10 (Eagles): Joey Porter Jr, CB, Penn State
Commentary: Let’s be honest, they’re not going to be able to replicate their regular season of last year again. They do have 2 First Round picks though, so hitting on these should certainly set them up for another NFC East Division title.
Joey Porter Jr is Joey Porter, the former Pittsburgh Steeler’s son. JPJ was named 1st team All-Big Ten by coaches and AP. He earned the team’s Most Valuable Defensive Player. At 6’2” he has great size for a corner and he obviously already has NFL genes in him.
Pick 11 (Titans): Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
Commentary: What a boring team. I guess Mike Vrabel and Derrick Henry are kind of cool.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is coming off a ‘22 season where he only played 2 games due to injury. His ‘21 Rose Bowl MVP performance where he had 15 receptions, for 3 TDs and 347 receiving yards was the stuff of legends. Injuries and questions over if he is limited to being a slot WR, where he lined up over 80% of his snaps throughout his career, would be the reason he falls.
Pick 12 (Texans): C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
Commentary: A QB always seems to fall out of nowhere in the NFL Draft. If the Texans can walk out of the ‘23 NFL Draft with Anderson and Stroud, they immediately have a facelift.
C.J. Stroud is a 2-time Heisman Trophy finalist and twice won Big Ten Conference Offensive Player of the Year and QB of the Year. He also was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year for a total of five Big Ten individual awards tying second all-time in conference history with Justin Fields and Orlando Pace and behind only Braxton Miller’s seven. According to PFF College, Stroud led the nation in pass efficiency rating in ‘22 (177.7) and was second in ‘21 (186.6). He ranked 2nd nationally in TD passes in 2’2 (41) and 3rd in ‘21 (44). This made Stroud the 1st QB in Big Ten history to have back-to-back seasons with 30 or more touchdown passes. Former Buckeye and current NY Jets WR (cough, cough, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, cough, cough), Garrett Wilson, has high praise for his former college QB. “Hopefully that wasn’t the last time,” Wilson tweeted, “but just in case… it’s been a pleasure @CJ7STROUD.” This came last March when Stroud threw for his Ohio State WRs that were getting drafted, Wilson & Chris Olave.
Pick 13 (Jets): Peter Skoronski, OG/OT, Northwestern
Commentary: I wonder if Aaron Rodgers would like to know where the best spot to get a Guinness is in Hoboken?
Peter Skoronski was a 3-year starter who made an All-Big Ten Team every year. As a junior in ‘22, Skoronski was Unanimous First Team All-American (first ever by an NU player). He was named Rimington-Pace Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year (first ever by an NU lineman). Finished as a finalist for the 2022 Outland Trophy, recognizing the nation’s best college interior linemen on both offense and defense. Finished ‘22 with PFF’s highest pass-blocking grade in the country at 93.0, (also one of highest of all time), allowing only six pressures on 480 pass-blocking snaps. Had the best PFF single-season pass-blocking grade recorded over the last two years. He also finished with a 79.1 PFF run-blocking grade, ranking 5th among all qualifying Power 5 tackles. (Source: Northwestern)
Pick 14 (Patriots): Myles Murphy, Edge, Clemson
Commentary: Rumor has it that Mac Jones was being shopped. Very sad that Bill Belichick doesn’t believe in his QB.
Myles Murphy is credited with 139 tackles (37.0 for loss), 17.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and six pass breakups in 1,543 snaps over 38 games (27 starts) at Clemson. He has drawn comparisons to the #1 Overall Pick last year, Travon Walker. He and Louisville’s Yasir Abdullah as the only two Power Five players to record at least 35 tackles for loss and at least six forced fumbles across the ‘20-’22 seasons. was the only player in the country to produce at least 10 tackles for loss and at least one forced fumble in each of those three seasons. (Source: Clemson)
Pick 15 (Packers): Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
Commentary: Jordan Love is obviously the guy and Aaron Rodgers is so washed up. I’m sure the Jets would take #12 off their hands for a mid-round pick. Why would the Packers want to deal with #12 he is such a distraction.
Asking any rookie WR to step into an offense and immediately become WR#1 is a bit unrealistic, but Quentin Johnston may have some special YAC ability where they can manufacture him touches. Johnston was a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist in ‘22, recognizing the nation's most outstanding WR. He reached 1,069 receiving yards in ‘22 on only 60 catches for the season. That is an impressive average of 17.8 yards per catch. The 17.8 he averaged this past season was actually a career low at TCU as Johnston averaged 19.2 and 22.1 as a sophomore&freshman with fewer targets. Johnston at 6’4” with 4.4 speed should translate in pros.
Pick 16 (Commanders): Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
Commentary: Everybody loves to bring up Washington’s current owner, Dan Snyder, for all his failures and his 220 losses. How about his 164 wins? That’s a 42.4% winning percentage that always gets overlooked.
Broderick Jones started at LT in all 15 games in ‘22. Jones was named the Associated Press All-SEC First-Team selection. He is entering the NFL Draft as a Redshirt-Sophomore. In ‘21 as a Redshirt-Freshman Jones was named to the Coaches’ Freshman All-SEC Team for playing in every game and starting the last four games of the regular season at LT. When Jones entered college he was ranked as the #11 prospect nationally, the #2 offensive tackle prospect, and the #3 prospect from the state of Georgia. He was an ESPN five-star prospect, the #9 prospect nationally, #1 OT prospect nationally, #5 prospect in the Southeast region, and the #3 in Georgia. (Source: Georgia)
Pick 17 (Steelers): Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
Commentary: Much like the Bears, once the Steelers have their QB, they should not be allowed to draft anything other than defense until after the 2nd Round. The Steelers’ history of mid-round WRs is ridiculous so I’m this piece of legislation would work out for them.
Bryan Bresee is a former #1 recruit in the country that lived up to the billing. He burst onto the college football scene in ‘20 as a Freshman All-American. Became the second ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in Clemson history, joining Dexter Lawrence (‘16). Credited with 64 career tackles (15.0 for loss), 9.0 sacks, four pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble, and a safety in 26 games (21 starts). He also contributed offensively to Clemson’s jumbo package. Bresee tore his ACL in ‘21 so this previous offseason he was spending most of it rehabbing the injury. This should not really weigh much into NFL GMs decisions as he appears to be fully recovered. His athleticism and versatility as a defensive lineman would make him an easy fit for any potential football team. (Source: Clemson)
Pick 18 (Lions): Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
Commentary: Like I said with the 6th Pick, I really want to put the Lions as the projected First Place team out of the NFC North come this fall, Mo-Town better not mess this up.
Deonte Banks totaled 38 tackles (25 solo), 8 pass breakups, 1 interception, and a half-sack in ‘22. At 6’2”, Banks has the potential to be a lockdown press corner. He was a starter in his 2 years at Maryland before suffering a season-ending should in ‘21 which cut his season short to just 2 games. He doesn’t miss tackles (only missed one in his 36 tackle attempts) and ranked 4th in the Big Ten with a 43.3% completion rate allowed. (Source: Maryland)
Pick 19 (Buccaneers): Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
Commentary: They sold their soul to Tom Brady & a group of older veterans and now they’ll be rebuilding. That said, flags fly forever. The Brady Bucs’ accomplished the mission now it’s time for the franchise to turn the page. Maybe change uniforms again.
Darnell Wright is a talented and powerful offensive tackle who has positioned himself as one of the top offensive line prospects for the ‘23 NFL Draft. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the nation’s top 10 prospects coming out of Huntington High School in West Virginia. Wright can play tackle or guard and dominated at right tackle for the Vols in ‘22 earning first-team All-SEC honors. He concluded his career without allowing a sack in 19 consecutive games. Played in 47 games and made 42 starts – 27 at right tackle, 2 at right guard, and 13 at left tackle. Wright saw action on 2,746 offensive snaps in his four seasons. (Source: Tennessee)
Pick 20 (Seahawks): B.J. Ojulari, Edge, LSU
Commentary: Mentioned before that Geno “They Wrote Me Off But I Ain’t Write Back Though” Smith finally wrote back on the Players Tribune. The link is here again if you want to read it.
B.J. Ojulari is a “Team leader who makes an impact on teammates, classmates, and the community on a daily basis. Goes in line with his heritage, being the grandson of a Nigerian prince. Awarded No. 18 days into training camp. The No. 18 is given each year to the player who best represents all the outstanding traits of an LSU football player. Versatile defender who can play defensive end or linebacker. Tremendous athlete who explodes off the ball … Excellent speed with the ability to run down quarterbacks. A very disruptive player who causes problems for the offense in both the passing and running games.”(Source: LSU)
Pick 21 (Chargers): Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
Commentary: Do people not remember that the Chargers blew a 27-0 lead to Jaguars? That was crazy.
Jalin Hyatt is all gas, no brakes. The ‘22 Biletnikoff Award Winner was the nation’s most explosive playmaker. Hyatt holds the Tennessee school records for single-game touchdown receptions (5 vs. Alabama on 10/15 ‘22) and single-season receiving touchdowns (15 in ‘22). Of his 108 career catches, 52 went for 10+ yards, 30 for 20+ yards, 21 for 30+ yards, and 12 for 40+ yards. (Source: Tennessee) In my opinion, he’ll be taken in the 1st round of the draft, but scouts may be skeptical that Hyatt really only has one year of elite college production. Tennessee WR Coach Kelsey Pope said this past Aug ‘22, “Jalin Hyatt is like a different person this year. Impressing early. Put on 8-10 pounds in weight and continue to improve.” The added muscle during the offseason from hard work certainly played a key factor in his breakout season. An easy player comparison as a floor for Hyatt would be Robbie Anderson. If Hyatt is able to add more than just the 4.2 40-time straight-line speed into his game, he may be Scary Terry McLaurin good or maybe even better - why place ceilings on a hard-working 21-year-old?
Pick 22 (Ravens): Jordan Addison, WR, USC
Commentary: Have the Ravens ever had an underwhelming draft class?
Jordan Addison was the ‘21 Biletnikoff Award (nation’s top receiver) at Pitt before transferring to USC last season. As a transfer at USC, Addison had 59 catches for 875 receiving yards and 8 TDs. He is a natural in terms of route-running, he just knows how to get open. His cutting ability and speed should translate to yards after the catch in the NFL too.
Pick 23 (Vikings): Lukas Van Ness, Edge, Iowa
Commentary: The next Jared Allen?
Lukas Van Ness was twice on the Academic All-Big Ten team. He received Iowa’s Coaches Appreciation Award for his special team’s play and the Team Hustle Award for defense. Coaches and AP also selected him to the All-Big Ten 2nd team in ‘22. He redshirted his freshman year at Iowa weighing only 240 lbs. Van Ness bulked up to around 275 lbs. and at 6’5” his teammates nicknamed him “Hercules.” During his career at Iowa, he ended up with 19.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks in 27 games played. (Source: Iowa)
Pick 24 (Jaguars): Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
Commentary: Trevor Lawrence needs a Ringo to pick on at practice.
Kelee Ringo in ‘22 was named 2nd Team All-SEC by Coaches and AP. He has been compared to the likes of a young Patrick Peterson. Ringo at 6’1” runs like the wind with a 4.36 40-time. He red-shirted his freshman season so only played 2 years at Georgia where he had 4 career INTs and 19 career pass deflections. (Source: Georgia)
Pick 25 (Giants): Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
Commentary: Chargers fan insider saw Daniel Jones at 10th & Willow the other weekend. He said he was really big.
If it feels like every year Notre Dame has a stud TE entering the draft, that is because they are basically Tight End University. Mark Bavaro, Anthony Fasano, Kyle Rudolph, John Carlson, Tyler Eifert, Troy Niklas, and Cole Kmet, are some of the notable names. Michael Mayer had at least one reception in all 36 games of his collegiate career. That consistency helped make Mayer the school's all-time leader in catches by a TE in an inconsistent offense. Mayer’s 809 receiving yards in ‘22 represented over 30% of Notre Dame’s 2,692 team passing yards.
Pick 26 (Cowboys): Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
Commentary: Jason Witten replacement? Oh wait that was supposed to be Dalton Shultz.
At 6’7” and 270 pounds, Darnell Washington stood out on the College Football field and will do the same in the pros. Washington is the type of prospect who even if the team doesn't have a need for a TE, he’s such a freak that he might be worth taking a chance on. He’s a WR in the TE’s body.
Pick 27 (Bills): Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
Commentary: This offense would be pretty scary.
Bijan Robinson made 28 starts at Texas and was the winner of the 2022 Doak Walker Award (Nation’s Top RB). He ranks 4th all-time in Longhorn history with 3,410 rushing yards and 41 total touchdowns (33 rushing, 8 receiving). Robinson was a unanimous All-American in ‘22, the 4th UT RB to earn the honor, joining James Saxton (1961), Earl Campbell (1977), and Ricky Williams (1997, 1998). He finished 9th in Heisman Trophy voting in ‘22. At Texas, he had 18 career 100-yard rushing games, including a streak of 7-straight games that is the 3rd-longest in program history. His 33 career rushing touchdowns are the 3rd-most in Texas history. Robinson ranks 4th all-time in UT history in tandem yards (4,215), 8th in all-purpose yards (4,231), and 9th in points scored (246). He had 805 career receiving yards, the 3rd-most all-time for a Texas RB, and his 8 career receiving touchdowns are the most ever for a Texas RB. All of these accolades plus his relentlessness, size, power, and speed make him the consensus RB #1 in the ‘23 NFL Draft Class. (Source: Texas)
Pick 28 (Bengals): Brian Branch, S, Alabama
Commentary: Pair the rookie up with Jessie Bates at Safety.
Brian Branch in ‘22 started every game at Nick Saban’s “star” position. He earned 1st Team All-America honors as the defensive back from CBS Sports and ESPN.com and at the flex position by PFF. He was selected as a 2nd Team All-American by the AP. He recorded 90 tackles, good for 3rd on the Tide’s defense. As a DB, he impressively finished 2nd on the team with 14 tackles for loss, including 3 sacks while adding in 7 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, and a pair of QB hurries. Branch also returned a punt for a 68-yard TD. He can play all over the defensive backfield. His 4.44 40-time gives him the range to play CF as a safety and his hard-hitting tackling ability allows him to also blitz or be a pseudo linebacker. (Source: Roll Tide)
Pick 29 (Saints): Calijah Kancey, DT/EDGE, Pittsburgh
Commentary: What do you think Derek Carr and Jameis Winston are going to talk about in the QB room?
Calijah Kancey in ‘22 was an American Football Coaches Association All-American (1st team), Associated Press All-American (1st team), Football Writers Association of America All-American (1st team), Sporting News All-American (1st team), Walter Camp All-American (1st team), CBS Sports All-American (1st team), ESPN All-American (1st team), and Pro Football Focus All-American (1st team). I mean shrimp, I might as well name him a Week to Week Notes All-American 1st teamer. College Football Network (CFN) also named him their National Defensive Tackle of the Year and he was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Kancey became the Panthers’ first Unanimous All-American since defensive tackle Aaron Donald in ‘13. In 133 seasons of intercollegiate football, Pitt players earned Unanimous All-America recognition only 15 times (13 total players have achieved this distinction). Kancey was the only player in the country to be selected as a 2022 finalist for both the Outland Trophy (nation’s best interior lineman) and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (national defensive player of the year). His career stat line at Pitt ended up 37 games played, 16 sacks, 92 tackles, and 34.5 of them being a tackle for a loss. How could this guy fall out of the first round? Well, his size could be a Red Flag for scouts, as he stands 6’0” and weighs in at 280 lbs, which is featherweight for an interior lineman. What he does have going for him is that Aaron Donald is only an inch taller and weighs 284 lbs. (Source: Pitt)
Pick 30 (Eagles): Will McDonald IV, Edge, Iowa State
Commentary: I already told you if they won’t replicate last regular season but should still win the NFC East. What else do you want from me?!?
Will McDonald IV went from Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year (‘18) to First Team All-Big 12 – Coaches (‘20, ‘21, ‘22), so McDonald IV seems willing to be coached up. He can also jump over a car.
Pick 31 (Chiefs): Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
Commentary: The Chiefs should only be allowed to draft offense.
Dawand Jones is 374 lbs. and can jam. I think he should be athletic enough for the NFL. He’ll bully grown men at RT.
Round 2
Pick 1 (Steelers): Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina
Cam Smith as a starter in ‘21 and ‘22 showed 1st Round NFL talent. He had 6 career interceptions at South Carolina, 4 of which occurred in his final 2 years at SC. In ‘21 he had 9 pass breakups with a 36.5 QB rating when targeted and in ‘22 6 pass breakups with a 71.3 QB rating when targeted. One of his best game tapes is when he went up against Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt, the nation’s fastest WR, and only allowed 65 receiving yards on the day. Despite being tall for a CB, he is twitchy enough as a defender to play both the nickel and outside. (Source: South Carolina)
Pick 2 (Texans): Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
Anton Harrison in ‘22 played 447 pass block snaps, allowed only 1 sack, gave up no QB hits, and had an 83.3 PFF pass block grade. (Source: @PFF_College) Harrison has experience in both OT positions.
Pick 3 (Cardinals): Isaiah Foskey, Edge, Notre Dame
Isaiah Foskey was named a team captain for the ‘22 season. Played in 12 games, making 12 starts before opting out of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. Finished the season with the 5th most tackles on the team at 45. Led the team with 11 sacks for the 2nd straight season and recorded 14 tackles for loss. Foskey also led the team with six quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He earned himself to be named a Consensus All-American in ‘22. In ‘21, Foskey led the team in sacks with the 3rd most in a Notre Dame single season (11.0). He recorded a sack in 9 of 13 games, including 2 multi-sack performances, and finished T-11th with 0.85 sacks per game. Foskey tallied six of the team’s 13 forced fumbles on the season and collected two fumble recoveries. He ended with 12.5 TFLs to lead the defense. Foskey was an extremely productive player for the Fighting Irish and had a very good showing at the Senior Bowl by all (Twitter) Accounts. (Source: Notre Dame)
Pick 4 (Colts): Josh Downs, WR, UNC
Josh Downs finished his career with 2,483 yards receiving, the 4th-highest total in UNC history. He had 22 career touchdown receptions, 2nd most in school history. Downs is one of three players in UNC history with over 200 career receptions, finishing third on the school’s all-time list with 202. He is one of two players in Carolina history with two 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Downs finished First-Team All-ACC in both ‘21 & ‘22. (Source: UNC)
Pick 5 (Rams): O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida
O’Cyrus Torrence was the first Gator offensive guard to be named a Consensus All-American. Torrence played for LSU before Florida, where he was a part of 2 Joe Moore Award Semifinalist offensive line units. My thought process here is to kick Alijah Vera-Tucker to Left Tackle, where he was effective for a bit in ‘22.
Pick 6 (Seahawks): Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
Will Levis has the prototypical size at 6’4” and 230 lbs. that typical NFL Scouts drool over. The Scout That Never Was isn’t really all about size with QBs, for me, it's more about moxie (think Mike White). Anyway, the Wildcat QB will get compared to Josh Allen a ton in the lead-up to the draft because of his size, elite arm strength, and speed (runs a 4.75 40-time just like Allen). Levis was a two-time team captain for Kentucky after he transferred from Penn State. In 24 starts with the Wildcats, he threw for 43 passing TDs and ran in 11 TDs. His 23 career INTs with Kentucky are for sure a Red Flag, however, people forget that Josh Allen coming out of Wyoming had a similar issue with 21 INTs in 25 games. Levis could definitely be considered a boom or bust QB prospect, but when you factor in that less than half of 1st Round QBs manage to ever have a single 4000-yd or a 24-touchdown season, sometimes it’s best to draft the guy with the best tools and hope it works out. Just like the Bills with Josh Allen.
Pick 7 (Raiders): John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
John Michael Schmitz was an AP 1st Team All-America in ‘22 and All-Big Ten First Team in ‘22 for coaches & media. Started all 12 regular-season games at center. He blocked for an offense that rushed for 2,698 yards and 33 touchdowns and one that passed for 2,369 yards and 12 touchdowns. (Source: Minnesota)
Pick 8 (Panthers): Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
Zay Flowers was on the All-ACC First Team wide receiver who set the BC single-season mark in receiving touchdowns (12), tied the record for receptions in a season (78), and produced the third most receiving yards (1,077) in a season in BC history. A shifty WR the Patriots could use to bring some life to their lifeless WR position group.
Pick 9 (Saints): Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
Dalton Kincaid started his college career at San Diego State before transferring east to Utah. As an Aztec Warrior, Kincaid led the nation’s TEs in yards per catch in ‘19 (18.98), ranked 2nd in the nation among TEs in receiving yards (835) and receiving yards per game (69.6). With the Utes, Kincaid continued his impressive college career by becoming the active career leader among tight ends in the FBS with 2,484 receiving yards and 35 receiving touchdowns. (Source: Utah Utes) His ‘22 season gave him All-Pac-12 first-team honors. Kincaid grew up playing basketball before shifting his focus to playing TE, so like most of those types, he may not be much of a blocker but has the potential to be a very solid secondary option as a WR in a TE’s body.
Pick 10 (Titans): Adetomiwa Adebawore, Edge, Northwestern
Adetomiwa Adebawore in ‘22 was selected third-team All-Big Ten by the media. He registered 31 pressures and 27 run stops (third-most among B1G edge rushers), per PFF this past year. He played on the edge in college but will likely be moved inside to an interior role in the NFL. Adebawore was voted best defensive lineman at the ‘23 Senior Bowl. (Source: Northwestern)
Pick 11 (Jets): Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
Emmanuel Forbes ended his college career, “owning the FBS career record with 6 pick-6s. He is the FBS active career leader in overall defensive touchdowns. Broke the FBS record shared by three other players, most recently by Oklahoma State's Darrent Williams (‘01-04). He has six interceptions this year and 14 total picks in his career – a total that also makes him the active career interceptions leader in the FBS. He leads the nation since his career began in ‘20 and is now fourth in MSU history. Forbes is also fourth among active FBS players in career interception return yards (390).” (Source: Hail State)
Pick 12 (Jets): Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Edge, Kansas State
Felix Anudike-Uzomah was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. He finished his career tied for 6th in school history in career sacks (20.5), while he tied for fourth in career forced fumbles (8)... The second player in school history to tally three games with 3.0 or more sacks (Nyle Wiren)... Left college football ranked fourth nationally and tops in the Big 12 among active players in forced fumbles per game (0.25), while he was sixth nationally and tops in the Big 12 in sacks per game (0.64). (Source: Kansas State)
Pick 13 (Falcons): Cody Mauch, OG, North Dakota St.
Cody Mauch was nicknamed “Toothless and Ruthless” for his play at the Senior Bowl. He does not in fact have his two front teeth, but when you’re in the football trenches like he is, who cares? During his time as Bison, Mauch played a bit of guard and both of the tackle positions. He was AP All-America 2nd Team in ‘21. When he 1st walked on to North Dakota State, he was a 220 lbs. TE before he eventually bulked up to a 300+ lbs. offensive tackle without losing much speed. He was the captain of his team during his junior & senior seasons and he only gave up 2 sacks throughout his 5-year college career. Although he comes from a small school, his size, hair, and smile should make him stand out in the NFL.
Pick 14 (Packers): Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
Luke Musgrave at 6’6” and 255 lbs. has the size along with the 4.51 40-time speed to play in the NFL. He is coming off a ‘22 season where a serious knee injury limited him to only 2 games played last year. He was healthy enough to play at the Senior Bowl (only TE to break 20 MPH in practice) and he should be participating the in NFL combine as well. His production in college is a bit underwhelming, but he could be a very solid Day 2 project pick.
Pick 15 (Patriots): Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse
Matthew Bergeron is a two-time All-ACC selection. Finished his career with 39 starts at offensive tackle. Emerged as Syracuse’s starting right tackle during the last half of ‘19, moved to left tackle for the last eight games of ‘20 and all of ‘21 and ‘22. (Source: Cuse)
Pick 16 (Commanders): Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami
Tyrique Stevenson has good technique, size (6’), and speed (4.45 40-time). An AFC Scout (not the scout who never was) at the Senior Bowl said, “I loved watching (Tyrique Stevenson) play in Mobile. He was the best guy there by far.” Another NFC Scout said, “Stevenson looked like he could play right away and live at the line of scrimmage” meaning he could be a press corner from the get-go. In ‘22, he had 2 INTs and 7 pass deflections. (Source: Miami)
Pick 17 (Lions): Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
Trenton Simpson was a ‘22 Dick Butkus Award and Lott IMPACT (Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, and Tenacity) semifinalist. His 4.39 40-time speed as a linebacker makes him extremely versatile. Although he at times may struggle in pass coverage, Simpson has great pass rush instinct from a stand-up linebacker. In ‘20 and ‘21, he combined for 10 sacks. He may have only had 2.5 sacks last season, but Simpson can hold his own as a chess piece on defense and at times line up essentially as a safety for Clemson.
Pick 18 (Steelers): Derick Hall, Edge, Auburn
Derick Hall was a 3-year starter for the War Eagles and was voted team captain by his teammates. He followed up a 9-sack season in ‘21 with 7 in ‘22. The coaches of the SEC named him First Team All-SEC and he was honored with the national Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Award from the Premier Players Foundation of Tampa. Hall is “active in campus service efforts, he jumps in wherever he can use his influence to help, whether it's enlisting students to attend basketball games, providing water to those in need in his home state of Mississippi, or donating a turkey, toys, and Halloween candy to the families of his hometown of Gulfport, Miss. ‘I want to give back to my community any way I can because I've been blessed,’ Hall said. ‘Community service has always been a priority to me, coming from a place where I know what it's like to see a single mother struggle and have to make ends meet. I feel like it is my priority to use the platform I have to help and serve others! Why not give back when I have the ability to do so?’” (Source: Auburn) His on and off-the-field production should work great on the gridiron as well as in his community.
Pick 19 (Buccaneers): Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan
Mazi Smith started all along the defensive line at Ann Arbor. Last year in ‘22, he made 14 starts at nose tackle. He made 48 tackles with 2.5 for loss, shared a sack, and had one forced fumble which he recovered to go with one quarterback hurry as he earned his fourth varsity letter. He was an All-Big Ten selection, consensus first team, and was named the team's Defensive Player of the Year. (Source: Michigan)
Pick 20 (Dolphins): Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
Jahmyr Gibbs is an explosive play-maker who transferred to Alabama from Georgia Tech ... Gibbs finished second in Crimson Tide's single-season history for receptions by an RB with 44. He earned 2nd-Team All-SEC recognition from both the AP and the league coaches as an RB and an all-purpose player. Gibbs averaged 6.1 yards per carry to rank 3rd in the SEC and totaled a team-high 926 rushing yards, good for 7th in the SEC while adding seven TDs on his team-high 151 carries ... He led the Tide with 44 receptions for 444 yards and 3 receiving TDs as well. Gibbs also has return skills. He returned 13 kickoffs for 258 yards with a 57-yard return being the long. His 1,628 all-purpose yards rank 3rd in the SEC and 21st nationally. (Source: Roll Tide)
Pick 21 (Seahawks): Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin
Keeanu Benton by all accounts on the internet had a great week at the Senior Bowl last week. Benton had such a good week of practicing and playing in front of NFL coaches and scouts that Steeler’s scout (and former very good CB), Ike Taylor, praised Benton. “There is no limit or ceiling for him. Keanu just dominated and then you see the short amount of space between the center and the guards how much they can work with and it’s little to nothing for him.” At the start of the week, the consensus view for Benton was that he was a very solid run defender, but not much was to be expected as a pass rusher. Expect Benton’s draft stock to continue to rise.
Pick 22 (Bears): Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida
Gervon Dexter started at defensive tackle in all thirteen games. He finished the ‘22 season with 55 tackles, 4 TFLs, 4 quarterback hurries, 2 sacks, 1 interception, and a pass breakup. 6’6” and 312 lbs, Dexter has the size and length that NFL teams look for on the line.
Pick 23 (Chargers): Tuli Tuipulotu, Edge, USC
Tuli Tuipulotu is a force to be reckoned with in the trenches. He finished his career at USC with 32 TFLs, 21 sacks, 5 pass deflections, and 4 forced fumbles. In ‘21 Tuipulotu proved to be one of the nation’s top young defensive linemen. He made the 2021 All-Pac-12 first team and won USC’s ‘21 Defensive Lineman of the Year Award & Bob Chandler Award. (Source: USC)
Pick 24 (Lions): Rashee Rice, WR, SMU
Rashee Rice led the College Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in receiving yards per game with 112.9. Rice’s 1,355 receiving yards (3rd) and 8.0 receptions per game (5th) ranked him at the top of all of College Football. At 6’2”, Rice’s physical play makes him look even bigger and his speed should translate in the NFL.
Pick 25 (Jaguars): Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor
Siaki Ika in ‘22 was named All-Big 12 First Team by Coaches and AP. He was a finalist for the Polynesian Player of the Year Award and played in 12 games with 11 starts at nose tackle. Ika totaled 24 tackles, including two for a loss, with five QB hurries and two pass breakups. Pretty impressive stat line for a nose tackle responsible for clogging up as many interior linemen as possible every single play. (Source: Baylor)
Pick 26 (Giants): Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State